Happy end of the year, LYT fam!
This is such a magical time of year when we celebrate, come together, reflect on the year we’ve had, and create powerful visions for the new year ahead of us.
As you read this, I’d like to invite you to take a moment to reflect on your health this year. We only get this one physical life expressed in this particular physical form. So let’s make the most of it!
How did you spend it this year? How did your body evolve? What was hard and painful? How did you grow and change? What were the joyous moments in your body? With your health? And how do you want to manifest physical health and well-being in 2024?
Welcome to your 2023 health audit.
Get out a piece of paper, and follow along with the exercises below to get honest about where your physical health is now, where you want it to be, and what you want to do in 2024 to manifest your ideal health.
Part I: Categories
We can break health down into three main categories: mental, physical, and spiritual – in other words – mind, body, & soul.
Step 1: In each of these broad categories, list out the smaller categories that fit in each. Here is an example to go off of. You can use this list as is, add your own categories, or delete the ones that don’t resonate.
Keep the body systems categories in there. These are all the major organ systems that make up the human body. We want all these systems to be functioning seamlessly for our most optimal health. If you are unsure what a particular body system is, check out this link for a breakdown of each system. https://www.verywellhealth.com/organ-system-1298691#toc-endocrine-system
Part II: Assessment
Next, assign one of the following three levels to each category.
- Green: mastered and/or totally aligned. Ideal health actualized.
- Yellow: I could improve this area of my health
- Red: Active illness. I need help/support in this area. Not at all aligned.
Step 2: Take out some colored pens/pencils and circle each category as green, yellow, or red. Or just write G, Y, or R next to each category.
Be very honest with yourself here. Think about any lab testing you’ve had done, things your doctors have told you, and symptoms you’ve experienced to help you make decisions. Trust your gut responses.
Part III: Hierarchy of needs
Next up, let me introduce you to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The idea here is that there are levels of needs we have as humans and that the lower needs most likely need to be met before the higher needs on the pyramid can be reached.
For example, if you feel unsafe at home, it is unlikely that you are going to fulfill your higher purpose in life until safety is restored. This is all relative, not absolute. And it’s a psychological theory, so don’t take this as Law. But, I find that it demonstrates our basic human needs quite well, and so we will use it in your audit today.
For more information on what each level means, check out this article for details: https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html#Critical-Evaluation
Step 3: Answer the following questions:
In the context of this model, as it relates to your health in 2023
- What level(s) do you feel like you’ve spent most of your time, energy, and money on?
- What level(s) do you want to feel fulfilled in?
- What needs to change for these needs to be met?
Part IV: Reflection
Step 4: Answer the following questions:
- What didn’t go well in 2023 as it relates to my health?
- What went well in my health in 2023?
- In each yellow/red category, what exactly do I want to improve? List 1 thing per category.
- Are you satisfied with your current trajectory in the hierarchy of needs? If not, what did you identify in part lll that could potentially be a focus of yours in 2024?
- Now, let’s narrow this all down into one focus. Based on what you’ve learned from this exercise, what is the one thing you can do for your health in 2024 such that by doing it, everything else becomes easier or unnecessary?
Part V: Setting the vision
Now that you have your heading for 2024, it’s time to dream about what this one focus could look like as it’s played out over the next year. Turn on some meditative music if you haven’t yet, and get ready to free-write, or just sit and dream about what the future has in store for you.
Step 5: In your mind or writing it all out on paper, just dream about how life will look like in 2024 as you focus on your one health goal throughout the year. Get deep into this vision by being your #1 cheerleader. Assume everything goes better than you even hoped for. Add details to this vision – what do you see, smell, taste, hear? What environment are you in? Who is with you? Supporting you? Let your imagination run wild as you set the tone for your health in 2024.
Now, take action right this moment! What is the first step you can take towards actualizing this vision?
Keep this momentum going!
I hope you enjoyed this health audit and that it illuminated something powerful for you.
For me, in 2024 I will embody a way of living (eating, moving, sleeping, working, restoring/relaxing, and communing with the Divine, myself, & others) that supports vibrant energy, peace in my mind, and love in my heart so that I may live a fulfilling, purposeful, and joyous life.
I will be filtering all of my decisions next year through this focus and building habits around it to support this beautiful dream of mine. My first action was scheduling a Neurodynamic Breathwork session this weekend. I’m also digging into the work of functional medicine MD, Dr. Hyman. The next book on my read list is this free resource on regulating blood sugar to give some love to my gut health after the holiday season. Check it out! https://10daydetox.com/wp-content/themes/tendd/downloads/resources/10-Day-Detox-PDF.pdf
If you’d like, I’d love to hear what your focus is for 2024 and your first action step. Send me a DM on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Thalia Wynne Dorsten, PT, DPT, AT, RYT
IG: @thalialovee
